


Envelope

by thewordweaver



Series: Discontinued Kpop Works [3]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Meiji Period, Blindness, F/M, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-23 15:11:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8332336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewordweaver/pseuds/thewordweaver
Summary: What are you willing to do when you've got e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ nothing to lose?(Based loosely off of Hadashi de Bara wo Fume)





	1. paunang salita

**Author's Note:**

> hiya hello just reposting things that I had deleted from my old old very old asianfanfics account lmao  
> I am very much not really in the kpop scene anymore so these are just here for the sake of being here
> 
> so this is one of the few series that I had started back on aff.com that bc I'm not into the kpop fandom anymore... is discontinued  
> the a/n at the very end of the work will be me explaining where I was planning on going with this story from where I stopped it to the end of it  
> it will be this way with any other kpop series that I started and shown is discontinued
> 
> date originally posted on aff.com: mid 2013  
> {all subsequent notes are from then as well except for the very very last note}

I yawn as I hear a rapping at the front door, stretching and grumbling to myself about the unannounced arrival of a visitor. "Just a moment, please!" I exclaim, though I say so under my breath; the rest of the house is asleep and it would be rude of me to wake them all, especially after the tiring day they'd had the night before. I extend my hand to feel for the door, shuffling my feet, wary of the haphazard that is my brother lying not too far from where my tatami mat is.

Out in the hall, my fingerpads glide along the wall to keep me steady; they guide me to the door so that I do not lose my way in the dark during the dead of night. Why someone would come to our home at this time of night is beyond me. Admittedly, there's a bit of fear I feel; there have been rumours circulating around the village about how crooks have been showing up at houses with daughters and kidnapping the girls to sell in the red light district.

But I know for a fact that they would not come after me.

I walk a little faster when the person starts knocking at the door again, glancing back behind me to hear if my parents were possibly woken up that time. Breathing a bit easier when I hear no other footsteps pursuing me, I walk a little faster, brushing my hand over my  _ chima _  to make sure the fact that I had been sleeping wouldn't be too obvious; I wipe off my face as well, clearing off any sloppiness I may have been exemplifying. Taking a deep breath, I slide open the front door, greeting the  unwelcome  unwarranted guest with a bow. "Good morning," I greet, hoping my accent wasn't too noticeable; the only people I ever really conversed with were my parents and brother—their accents were just as thick as mine, but a bit more accustomed to the Korean language; mine, as I could hear, needed some work.

I could tell the guest had not been expecting me to open the door, as I could feel the startled and uncomfortable stare. "This... ah, this is for your parents," the stranger says, his voice telling me that it was a man. "Be sure that they read this, okay?" I hear him pull something out from his  _ jeogori _ , which sounds like parchment. I extend my hand, grabbing the paper and rubbing it between my hands before detailing it with my finger. It's in an envelope... a letter for us?

"Err, good night then," the man says, taking off before I can thank him. I sigh in defeat, slowly sliding the door closed before turning on my heel. Seems he was like that too; they always are. Was the dead look in my eyes that startling? Did it really make me appear any less human than the rest of them?

I shake my head to quell the thoughts before they could consume me and leave me unable to go back to sleep. I shuffle quietly over to the kitchen, feeling around for the table and grunting under my breath when my shin slams into it. Swearing under my breath, I place the letter neatly on the surface, sitting there for a moment to rub the injured area. Taking a deep breath as I get to my feet, I make my way back to my room, crawling comfortably under my covers with a relaxed sigh.

That letter would have been better off burned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyoooo  
> so on the same vein as Li's story Bastard, the notes down here will probably be me explaining some historical things and translation blah  
> this story will alternate by chapter between two viewpoints {bonus points if you can guess which viewpoints it'll be switching between}  
> I personally don't believe in that switching povs in the middle of a chapter bc that makes no sense to me so yer  
> if the chapter titles are in Tagalog {isa, dalawa, etc} or Japanese {一, ニ, etc}, it's in Hikari/Kwangree's point of view  
> if they are in English {one, two, etc} or Korean {하나, 둘, etc} , it's in Sehun's point of view  
> {also, in case you were wondering or something, my mother's side of the family is Filipino, so they are my point of reference lolol}
> 
> \- paunang salita - prologue, preface, foreword
> 
> {stealth 2016 note: Li is an ex friend of mine in which we had shared an aff.net account}


	2. 一

“If… if we don’t pay the four months of rent that we owe by the end of the week, we’ll be evicted from the house.”

The words my mother had said to us that morning had sent me reeling; had my heart nearly stop; had tears pricking the corners of my eyes. My father’s remission had only served to solidify this horrifying development.

“ _T-tatay_ , say something! I thought we were doing well! That’s what you told  _kuya_  and me! You have to be joking!” But I only continue to receive silence from them. “If we haven’t paid the rent in four months, where the hell as the money going?”  _kuya_  asks, his voice soft; it was gentle in nature, but I could tell he was only seconds away from losing his cool.

“To your  _lolo_  and  _lola_ ,”  _ina_  replies. “Hikari, Akira, I’m so sorry… your father and I… we were so worried about your grandparents that we completely forgot about or own family… we lacked foresight—”

“ _They’ve been doomed from the start! They only have a year left to live at the most! For all we know, they could already be dead because they didn’t come with us!_ ” My brother’s outburst startles the entire table, especially when he had slammed both hands on the wooden surface in his frustration.

“ _Kiryung_ ,” I could almost see the quick glare my father had shot at my mother, “you need to lower your voice.”

“You should have thought of that before you decided to basically kill us off! We came all this way to live and pass on our legacy, our history, but it looks like you and  **_umma_ ** ,” he sneers the word mockingly, venom and hate dripping all over his tone, “ _decided to squander away everything we worked for! Now what the fuck do we do from here!?_ ” With another slam of his palms on the table, I hear my brother get to his feet, his departure leaving a heavy tension in the kitchen.

It’s not long before my mother’s sniffling breaks the silence. The shuffling sounds reach my ears and lead me to believe that my father has gathered her into his arms. His murmured words of comfort do not fall on deaf ears.

“Maybe… maybe I can help out at the Kims’ again… they do pay well after all. Or I could start selling our dishes at the local restaurants like I used to… I’ve been hearing a lot about this new ‘exoticism’ craze around the town… there has to be something I could do to—”

“Hikari, stop talking as if there’s anything you could possibly do! You are useless! There is a reason the Kims’ fired you! And do you truly thing anyone would hire you to cook with your condition!? That anyone would want to be around you when they think you’re cursed? You are  _blind_! If anything, you should just be grateful we even pulled you into the boat with us on that day! If it weren’t for you and your disability, we would be far better off than we are now!”

“ _Tat_ —”

“ _Get. Out_.”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nod once, mumbling a quiet “excuse me” before fleeing from the kitchen.

* * *

 In my shared room, I lie on my back with my limbs extended, listening closely to the birds that chirp gleefully outside of my window. I can feel the dampness behind my ears, my tears having formed small lakes on the mat I lie atop. My pupils flit every which way, as if studying the ceiling above me.

But all I can see are clouds: gray, foggy, non-descript. They are what keep me from living a normal life like everyone else. They are what prevent me from venturing outside alone. They are what hold me back from accomplishing my hopes, my dreams; bonding with my family; making a name for myself in this world. They are what confine me to a life of near-servitude, trapping me inside of a house that feels nothing but shame and disdain because of me.

My contemplative, existential thoughts are cut short by the knock I hear at the window. I turn my head in that direction, eyebrows furrowing. ‘ _Who in the world…?_ ’ Hesitating at first, I get to my feet and tentatively open the windows.

“Oh good, you’re he—Kari, were you crying?” Though I cannot see it, I can feel that my brother is frowning, displeased by my expression. Taking a deep breath, I hear him shuffle; I presume he’s leaning over the wall because I can feel my hand in his as he rubs my palm with his thumb and pats my head tenderly with the other. “ _Tatay_  and  _ina_  again, huh?”

He pulls away, and moments later, a thump echoes dully in the room and the floor shakes a little beside me. “Don’t listen to them.” The next minute, I am pulled into a tight hug; tears threaten to spill over as they prick my eyes for the second time that day.

It was during moments like these that I was always reminded of the fact that my brother was the only one that cared about me in this house.

He rubs my back as I take a few deep breaths to calm myself, backing away but placing both hands on my shoulders. “Better?” I nod. “Good.” He leaves a small pause in between his shifting of topics. “I just came back from the marketplace… I have a plan as to how we’re going to pay for the rent, but… you won’t like it.”

“… Do you want to sell the comb?”

“How did you—”

“I had the same idea once they broke the news…  _lola_  will not be happy with either of us, but this is a necessity. They’re pretty much the reason we have to do this anyway.” Because his hands move a bit on my shoulders, I can tell that he’s nodding in agreement.

“But just selling my comb will only be enough to pay back all the rent we owe, but it won’t sustain us in terms of food. I actually came up with another step.” His questioning stare prompts me to continue. “Here, let’s head to the marketplace. I’ll explain the details as we walk…”

* * *

 I cling with one hand to my brother’s left sleeve as we head to the marketplace. I can tell he’s distressed by the follow-up plan I explained to him, but his inability to create a compelling argument against it meant that we were going to go through with it. In all honesty, I don’t like it either; in fact, I’m pretty sure I like it even less than he does. But our current circumstances don’t leave us with many options.

Upon reaching the marketplace itself, I can hear the hustle and bustle die down, the noise lowering to a soft hum as the people whisper about me. As much as I would love to say that that’s an exaggerated claim and I’m just being arrogant, the truth of the matter is that that’s what’s really happening here. I steel myself as I hear the comments begin, the murmurs of the cursed blind girl travelling through the air and into my ears.

“They don’t know any better, Kari. Ignore them. You’re fine as you are. There’s nothing wrong with you,”  _kuya_  reassures. It’s hard to listen and believe the only voice of reason you have when everyone else opposes it quite vocally.

My brother walks slowly so that I don’t trip over myself too often, using the duration of our stroll to tell me our plan of attack. “I’ll haggle with the guy, and if he gives me undercut prices for it, start opening your eyes. If he still won’t give, start speaking Tagalog. I know you don’t like to perpetuate your ‘cursed girl’ image, but…”

“Oh, I do. But scaring the townsfolk is more fun,” I whisper back with a giggle, smirking slightly. My parents had established the rule that I wasn’t allowed to open my eyes whenever they brought me out in public with them because my unfocused, cloudy pupils had a tendency to startle people.

The reactions I got when I occasionally slipped up were well worth the slaps in the face.

Akira chuckles as well, nudging my chin slightly with his finger. “That’s my girl. Now let’s do this.” A few seconds later, we presumably stop at one of the vendor’s stalls, and I can hear the discussion between the vendor and a customer fade away. “Pardon us,” my brother says kindly, getting the other man to back away. “Good afternoon, sir. If I may, my sister and I would like to know how much this,” he plucks the comb out of the bun it was holding up and my hair cascades down my back, the ends brushing against my bottom, “would sell for.”

I can tell that he had handed it over, as I hear the hums of appraisal. “Are these—?”

“Those are real diamonds and silver, sir.” The comb is a family heirloom; my mom gave it to me for my seventh birthday. Back when she still loved me, blind or not.

Digressing, the vendor mulls it over for a few more minutes before saying, “This is worth about 1200 won.” ‘ _That’s just enough to pay for rent! Tell him y—_ ’

“Kwangree.” For a moment, I forget my Korean alias, looking at my brother questioningly when I finally register the command. When he clears his throat, I relent, though I personally feel the price is adequate enough.

When I open my eyes, the vendor chokes before gasping sharply; I can hear the frightened murmurs from the crowd that had formed around us.

“A-alright, I undercut it a bit too much… it’s more around 1900 won.” ‘ _Surely that’s more than enough for us, Aki—_ ’

“ _Kwangree_.”

Apparently not.

Sighing, I take a deep breath and close my eyes, feeling the crowd wait anxiously with bated breath, dreading what I may do next. Suddenly, my eyes pop open, and with an unwavering stare, I lean in and chant, “ _Maaari mo lang sabihin sa amin ang aktwal na halaga ng mga suklayin pa_ ?” The crowd scrambles, women shrieking and men hollering, rushing their children away as they were under the impression that I would inadvertently “curse” them too. “ _Ang auction ay bukas, kaya namin talagang kailangan upang makakuha ng mga bagay na ito ngayon at—_ ”

” _Okay! Okay!_  I’m sorry! The come is actually worth 3000 won! Here! Take it!” The comb clunks onto the counter and there’s some rummaging around before I hear a sack of coins join the comb on the counter. My brother’s arms move and I can feel him pick up the back, opening it to probably count the money inside. Presumably satisfied, he bows and says, overly sweet voice in effect, “Thank you for your time, sir.”

Figuring he flashed a short smile, I close my eyes and do the same before we walk off together. “You know, if we weren’t such honest people, we could have just threatened people with ‘curses’ to give us money.”

“I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t have lasted very long though… honestly, I’m surprised I haven’t been burned at the stake yet.”

“In due time,” Akira jokes, getting us to share a laugh. “Now let’s go get you a nice hanbok and some kohl and all that. To be honest, I would have thought that—”

“— _ina_   would have made me a geisha or kisaeng by now? Me too. She had me learn how to play the shamisen and tea-serving back when we were in Japan, and even had our neighbors here teach me the Geommu and  _pansori_ ; all this despite my eyesight, if you remember.”

“Of course I do; mom taught me how to set your clothes and do your makeup when she didn’t have the time to do it herself, remember?” He shook his head at the memory. “Anyway, being a geisha is how she got with  _tatay_ , after all. How she managed to pretend to be Japanese for such a long time, I’ll never know. Also, stop replying in Tagalog. You’ve been here for eight years and your Korean is still rusty.”

I scowl before sticking my tongue out at him. “It’s not my fault I hardly have anyone to practice with. Yours isn’t all that great either.”

“At least my accent isn’t heavy.” I slap his arm and he laughs, the uplifting mood dying down a bit as his laugh comes to an end; did I do something?

“Are you sure you want to go through with this, Kari? There has to be another way… why don’t we just look for alternatives? Think this through? How am I going to—”

I step in front of him to claps my hand over his mouth, using my free one to put a finger to my lips, shaking my head. “There isn’t. I thought about it for hours before you came back. This is our only option, and this is how we’ll get everyone back on their feet. Besides, this is—”

Though we’re in public, Akira pulls me into a tight hug anyway, stroking my hair regardless of the fact that people are staring. “I know, I know. But is it wrong that I don’t want to lose my baby sister? Even if this is what  _tatay_  and  _ina_  would have wanted,” he voices what we both knew in the back of our minds, “it’s not what  _I_  want.”

“Aki—Kiryung, you’re going to make us cry in public. We can do that when we get home, okay? Tomorrow morning, before you set my makeup.”

“Fine, fine.” He strokes my hair one last time, a solemnity in the action before he lets me go.

“So yeah, your hanbok.”

The woman greets us as we step into her shop, the building also doubling as her home; you can’t sell hanboks outside, of course, unless you want them dirtied. “Ah, good after noon, Kiryung, Kwangree!” Soohyun was the only other person in town besides my brother who saw past (haha) my blindness. “What can I do for you two?”

“We need a really nice hanbok. One that would suit my sister.”

I could feel her eyes rove my figure before she was up on her feet bounding around her store. “Ah, my prayers have been answered! Oh how I’ve dreamed of this day!” Knowing we were looking at her strangely, she decided to explain. “Kwangree, my dear, I got to watch you grow from a cute little girl to a beautiful young adult. I absolutely cannot  _believe_  that these people would let your nonexistent ‘curse’ distract from your physical and internal charms. Honestly, they don’t know what they’re missing. If I were a man, I would have asked for your hand in marriage a  _long_  time ago.”

Blinking blankly at her a few times, I turn to “look” at my brother, feeling his shrug. “I have to agree with the lady. It’s part of the reason I’m afraid of letting you go. The only thing keeping men from trying to snatch you up is that myth surrounding you.”

“As my brother, you’re obligated to agree with her anyway,” I mutter with a blush, scoffing.

“As your parents, they’re obligated to agree as well, but they don’t, do they?”

… Okay, so your agreement is sincere. I get it.

“Where is it… ah!” Soohyun says absently, dancing over to where my brother and I stand, shoving the material into my hands. “Quick, try it on!”

My brother shoves me into a more secluded area of the store in case someone else walks in, helping me into the new, probably expensive outfit. The silk of the  _jeogori_  is made of has numbers running through my head. Once he finishes tucking the  _jeogori_  into the  _chima_ , he pulls away, glancing over everything.

“… Wow. And you don’t even have your hair up or makeup on.” I blush again, scowling at his failed attempt of a compliment, rushing over to Soohyun to get a more honest opinion on it. “ _Umma_ ,” I call, being respectful, “how does it look?”

I know I’m standing in front of her, so she has to see me, but she says nothing. “Soohyun- _umma_? What, is it that bad?”

“You can’t see it, but her jaw is basically on the floor and her eyes are popping out of her skull,”  _kuya_  says as he steps into place beside me.

“Nice visual.”

“Well it’s true.”

“Can you describe it to me?”

He thinks for a moment before responding to me. “The  _jeogori_  is made of silk, as you’ve probably felt by now—where in the world did she get that material anyway?—and the  _chima_  is made of very good cotton.”

“And the colors?”

It took a little longer for him to reply. “The  _jeogori_ is white like fresh snow in the winter and the  _chima_  is a pale pink… much like the blush on your face right now.”

I grunt, covering my face with my hands for a moment before looking up at Soohyun again. “You look more beautiful than I had imagined…,” she whispers, shaking her head. “My curiosity has gotten the best of me though; I’m glad you two came here for a new hanbok, but what do you need such an extravagant one for?”

Akira and I tentatively exchange a look before he begins to explain. “W-well, you see… our parents haven’t paid for the rent in four months now, and so if we don’t pay it all back by the end of the week, we’ll be evicted… about half an hour ago, we had to sell her hair comb, which had been passed down for generations in our family…” We both chose that moment to sigh heavily. “So now our next plan is to… is to sell Kwangree at the auction being held at the red light district tomorrow morning.”

“ _Kiryung, how_ **_dare_ ** _you think of such a_ —”

“He… he didn’t come up with the plan,  _umma_. I did. There’s no other way for us to get the money fast enough,” I murmur meekly, staring down at my feet. “I don’t want to do it either, but… but my parents didn’t leave many other options for us.”

Everything goes silent for quite some time; I can feel Soohyun’s anger dissipate, turning into pity. Before I know it, her arms wrap around me. “How much did the comb sell for?”

“3000 won.”

She pauses. “Take the hanbok. You two don’t have to pay me for it.”

“But Soohyun—!”

“I’m losing the girl I saw as my own daughter; that’s more than enough as a payment for me, albeit one I really would not prefer.” She chuckles drily, clutching me tightly as she adds, “I have a matching comb to go with it, the hanbok. It was an heirloom from my own family as well, though it wouldn’t sell for nearly as much as yours did. I was supposed to give it to my own daughter after she was born, but…”

“Don’t,” Akira tells her. “I’m sure it still hurts to talk about.”

Moments later, Soohyun falls apart; I feel a dampness growing on my neck, a puddle of tears collecting on my clavicle. “First her, now you… it seems that my daughters are never here to stay for long…” Hearing her sobs and feeling her body become wracked with them, I cling to her, returning her embrace as I cry too.

“ _Umma_ , don’t say that… I’ll try to come back… I—”

“Girls that are sold off never come back, my dear. This will be the last time I ever see you.

It was a reality my brother and I had refused to accept, but now that Soohyun had voiced it aloud, we had no choice but to face it. I wouldn’t be coming back. This would be the last time I’d be in this part of Jinju, if I were to stay in Jinju at all.

“I’ll miss you so much, Kwangree,” she says, pulling away slightly to look at me, her hands on my cheeks, thumbs wiping away the tears that now flow down my face. She presses her forehead to mine and we both close our eyes. “Ask him to let you keep in contact, okay? I can’t read, but I know your brother can. He can read the letters to me. Only the wealthy go to those auctions, so he probably knows how to read and write. Beg him if you have to.” I nod.

We share a moment before she sighs raggedly and cups my chin with both hands, kissing each cheek once before placing a long, audible kiss on my forehead. “Don’t forget you have people here that will always love you, okay? I’ll think of you every day and I’ll just assume the worst until you contact us. And if I find out that something happened to you, that man will be begging for death when I get to him.”

I laugh a bit at her threat and she chortles quietly, running her fingers through my hair soothingly. I can feel her despair about all of this. “Thank you,  _umma_ , for being the best ‘mother’ I had.”

“It was my pleasure.” She lets go of me completely, taking small steps backwards until my hair finally falls out of her fingers. “Here.” She pads around, disappearing into a different room before returning; she takes my hand in hers and turns it over to gently place a comb in my hand, using her hand to make me close my fingers around it. “Now take it and leave, before I keep you here and never let you go.”

I smile solemnly, giving her one last hug before joining my brother. “Let’s go,” he says, voice cracking.

For the first time in a while, I felt truly loved. And it was this feeling that was going to make it harder to leave tomorrow.

I hadn’t considered the feelings of the only two people that loved me the most, that made me feel like I was worth something. And of course, once I finally do, it was already too late. The plan had already been set in motion and now I would have to lose the only two people who cared about me. Though they’ve made it so apparently that I am cherished, I give them grief in return for their love like the ungrateful, worthless piece shit I am.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.

* * *

 “Rise and shine, you. We have to start getting ready now. The auction is in three hours and your outfit requires lots of preparation.” I groan when he starts to push me with his foot, making me roll over and over around the room.

“Okay, alright! I’m awake!” I hiss, grabbing his angle to get him to stop. I sit up, glowering in his general direction.

“Aw, your morning grumps are so cute,” he teases. “Go bathe; I prepared some water for you outside. Make sure you dry yourself off completely before you come back in here.”

Upon my return, I am almost immediately yanked down to the floor where my brother sits. I’m trapped in his embrace as his chin rests on top of my head. “I knew I had to lose you to some other man someday, but this really wasn’t how I envisioned that day.”

“Me either,  _kuya_.”

He sighs and lets go of me, probably getting up to grab all of what we would need. “I know you said I could cry on this morning about it, but if I start crying, you will too; we need to keep your face clean for the makeup.” He chuckles under his breath, the things in his arms clattering onto the ground in front of me. “So I’ll cry once you’re gone.”

“Fair enough.”

“Sit still.”

Over the next hour and a half, my brother details my features with a mix of white powder, lipstick, kohl, blush, and eyeshadow. “Your face isn’t as white as the geisha we used to see back in Japan,” not that I have a mental visual to compare his handiwork to, “but you do look a bit paler now. You know, since they all seem to like that almost-porcelain look.”

“Was it necessary to put some on my neck though?”

“… Oh, right. You don’t know about that… I forget you can’t see sometimes. Well, the geisha were covered with white from their face to a little below their clavicles. So yes, it was necessary.”

I don’t argue as I get to my feet, awaiting the next step. He dresses me up in the hanbok properly this time, moving slowly to make sure every detail is precise. My hair comes last; the comb is the last accent. “Take off those slippers and put on your new ones.”

I stand up again and he hands them to me. Once I kick off the old ones and slip on the new ones, I scowl, wiggling my toes inside of the shoes. “These are uncomfortable,” I complain.

“Well, yeah. They’re new. You haven’t broken them in yet.”

“Why can’t I just wear my old ones?”

“Every detail has to be perfect if this is going to work, Hikari. Now do a little spin.”

I sigh before doing as he asked. “I did a great job, if I do say so myself. I can hardly even recognize you, which is good, or else you won’t sell.” I roll my eyes at his self-rewarded compliment. “If I estimated correctly, it should be about eight in the morning, right?  We should get going.”

Akira takes a few moments to freshen himself up before we leave, escaping through the window so we can avoid having to explain anything to our parents. They obviously don’t know anything about what we’ve been up to these past two days.

The fifteen minute walk in the cool October weather calms me just a bit, but that period of relaxation is very quickly cut short once I hear the small commotion. As you can imagine, the red light district isn’t considerably active in the morning, but because today was an auctioning day, things were rather lively.

I was at the point of no return now.

We work our way through the crowd, my brother’s grip tightening around my hand. Even though I was being sold today, I could tell he was going to hold onto me until the very last second he had to let me go.

We reach the main source of all the commotion and Akira looks around to see where the rest of the girls are waiting with their sellers. Though I can’t actually see them to know if my theory is valid, I can already tell that it would be a struggle to sell myself at our asking price when there were so many other beautiful women around here.

As if he was reading my thoughts, my brother leans in, murmuring in my ear, “We’ve got this. You can thank me for my expertise later. You’re the best dressed girl here.” I smile a bit, but I’m not entirely sure that I can believe his words.

I tune everything out as my brother talks with the auctioneer about something; about fifteen minutes later, the auctioneer begins to arrange us in a certain order and my brother tells me that I am sixth in a line-up of twenty; I am led to believe that my place in the line is a good thing. The auction gets considerably rowdy one it begins, and the auctioneer head to the podium; in case you’re wondering how I figured that one out, I hear him slam a gavel on the surface of the podium to silence the crowd. Slowly, the people start to quiet down and the auction begins.

By the time I’m next in the queue, my brother can sense that I’m a bundle of nerves, so he rubs my back soothingly. “Everything will be fine, Hikari. Breathe.” I nod as I follow his instructions, taking a few deep breaths and shaking off my anxiety.

“Up next, the exotic Sō Hikari!”

I could hear the murmurs of surprise and awe as my brother led me up the stairs so I wouldn’t fall flat on my face in front of everyone. “Why did you use my real name!?” I growl under my breath at him, maintaining a smile for the crowd.

“Did you want me to use your Korean one? Our cover would be blown! I told you, your makeup keeps you from being recognised. It’s the only way we can get away with this.”

I huff before we face the crowd, deciding to thoroughly scold my brother at a later time, seeing as the auctioneer had started prattling off my skill set. “Our lovely Sō can do all the essentials: cooking and cleaning, but she is also culturally trained! Along with her ability to play the shamisen and serve tea in the traditional Japanese way, she is also skilled in our very own Geommu and  _pansori_!” I bow before going through the Geommu steps, though on a smaller scale, seeing as this stage did not feel very wide.

The auctioneer lets me do that for a few moments, continuing his announcements once I stop after another polite bow. “The starting bid price… is 300 won.”

Instantly, the crowd is in an uproar again. “The others before her were not nearly as much!” “What makes her so special!?” “Who are you trying to con!?” Once again, the auctioneer has to make use of his gavel to quiet them down. After the crowd falls into a hush again, he asks Akira, “Please share with the crowd what justifies such a high starting bid price, sir.”

I can feel his stare focusing on me, asking for my permission. I nod. Seeing as they won’t bid without the information, we have to tell them if we want to get this money now. Clearing his throat, my brother turns to face the crowd again, sharing that, “The price is high because… Hikari is still a virgin.”

The response from the crowd is completely different from the way it had been mere seconds ago; offers for me are being shouted left and right, these men wanting their chance to defile this pure, foreign wonder. As flattered as I should be, knowing that these men now wanted me for that reason and that reason alone made me sick to my stomach. Soon, the offers start to die down as they grow in cost: “800 won!” “1000 won!” “1300 won!”

“1800 won!”

When no other offer is made to top that one, the auctioneer shouts, “1800 won! Will anyone offer anything higher? This may be your last chance to possess such a wonder! 1800 won going once… 1800 won going twice… and… sold! Please come up on stage to receive your item!”

I could feel Akira stiffen even though he was just standing beside me. “What? What is it?”

“What a lovely catch I’ve found,” I hear seconds later, the voice a disgusting purr in my ear, hot breath that reeked of alcohol reaching my nostrils. Instinctively, I shrink away, frowning; I seek Akira’s hand and he holds onto mine tightly, pulling me towards himself. “Akira… Akira, I don’t want this…”

“S-sir, I’m going to have to return your bid. I, ah, I’ve changed my mind about auctioning her off…”

“Did you not hear the auctioneer? She’s been  _sold_ . To  _me_ .” The man grabs my other wrist and squeezes; I cry out in pain. “Akira…  _Akira_ …” Oh dear god, I’m starting to panic. I can’t stop myself from breathing heavily. Goddammit, Hikari, don’t pass out now!

“Are you concerned that I do not have the money?” I sense his hand fishing around in his coat, pulling out a sack of coins; it hits my brother square in the chest and he grunts, letting go of me to put both hands where it hit him; now that I was free from his hold, the man pulled me into his arms. “You’re all mine now,” he murmured to me. I tried not to, really, but I just couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. I’m desperate to get away from this guy. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with this man. “Please, sir. You can take your money back… just give me back to Akira…”

“Look, if you sell her to me, I’ll give you double what you offered for her. So let her go.”

The crowd that had been watching all this play out with sick amusement now began to murmur amongst themselves in shock. “It’s him…” “Why is he here?” “The girl is much better off with the fat one…”

“I… okay.” The man lets go of me, shoving me away from him. Not expecting this, I stumble over my own two feet before falling to the floor on my side with a groan. Everyone seems to genuinely fear this new voice…  The chest I’m pulled into right after my fall feels much different from the one prior: it is lithe, firm, lightly detailed. “You, come with me.” I assume he’s referring to Akira, as he points in the direction my brother is standing before motioning with his fingers for him to follow.

I am led down the stairs as we make our way to a more secluded area. “Something tells me you two are related. You both looked rather desperate, as if you didn’t want to actually do this. Am I right?” I can’t tell if my brother did so, so I nod in his place. “So may I also assume that you two are struggling financially and that all of this is just a poor attempt at a temporary fix?”

I nod again.

“I see.” This younger man (his voice isn’t very deep and I think I can detect a bit of a lisp) takes a moment to presumably collect his thoughts. “Alright then. I have a proposition for you two.” Pressed up against his chest, I stare up at him, but I can tell his gaze is focused on Akira. “Rather than just using her for servitude, considering I have enough people hired for that already, I’m going to ‘ask’ for her hand in marriage instead. Of course, seeing as I own her already, there isn’t much asking to be done here. Really, I’m just giving you details of my plan.” I can feel my brother’s bitter glare at this man; to be honest, I’m a bit offended by the way he phrased that as well. Yes, you may have essentially bought my life, but I would think you would at least take my feelings into  _some_  consideration. In my fit of anxiety, I try at my lower lip. Just what is this guy up to?

I know my brother is about to object, but the man continues before he gets the chance. “In return for being married to your…,” he glances down at me and I back away when I can feel his breath ghost over my lips; his arms hold me tightly in place, so I don’t actually get very far, “sister, from what I can tell, I will send money to you and your family on a monthly basis so that you can continue paying for all of your necessities. Do we have a deal?”

“Yes,” I reply almost immediately, not allowing my brother to overthink this and miss this chance. “Hika—”

“We can’t pass this up.”

His weak protest does not continue, telling me that he has conceded defeat. “But,” my brother now decides to vocalize, “if you do anything to her…” I hear his steps come closer and the two probably would have been standing face-to-face if it weren’t for the fact that I was in the way.

“If I recall, I just bought her life. Wouldn’t that mean I can do whatever I want to her?” I could physically  _feel_  that smug tone, daring my brother to try anything, especially while he has me trapped in his hold.

I’m starting to think that maybe this really wasn’t such a good idea after all.

* * *

  * the hair comb looks a little something like [this](http://img0.etsystatic.com/000/0/6682326/il_fullxfull.309523886.jpg?ref=l2). as you can imagine, they can cost a pretty penny when made of diamond and silver
  * [geisha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisha)
  * [kisaeng](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kisaeng)



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- tatay - father  
> ina - mother  
> kuya - brother  
> lolo - grandfather  
> lola - grandmother
> 
> \- you all probably know what umma means at this point so I won't be translating that haha
> 
> \- "... but all I can see are clouds: gray, foggy, nondescript." - Hikari has congenial cataracts {meaning she's had them since birth}
> 
> \- the Korean won was worth the same amount as the Japanese yen from 1902 to 1910. 1200 won then would be ~ 2.92 milllion yen today, which is ~ $30000 USD. the actual worth then is 3000 yen, which is ~ $74000 USD today
> 
> \- "Maaari mo... ngayon at—" - "Can you just tell us the actual worth of the comb already? The auction is tomorrow, so we really need to get these things today and—"
> 
> \- hanboks for women included the jeogori, which is the top, and the chima, which is the skirt.
> 
> \- "where in the world did she get that material anyway?" - during the Chosŏn dynasty, commoners were banned by law to make silk. seeing as the Chosŏn dynasty is only about twenty years before this story takes place, I would imagine it would still be difficult to obtain silk
> 
> \- I'm not actually sure if auctions actually occured in the red light district for women {look, I can only do so much research for one story, okay; I need this to happen to set up the plot don't judge}, but considering people have been auctioning off other people for quite some time now, I think it's safe to assume some sort of bargaining for a woman's life occurred
> 
> \- when Hikari "sees" things, she's very obviously not seeing things, I'm not gonna put quotation marks around the words every time she "sees" something because you should get that it's basically a figure of speech for her, so no, I'm not being inconsistent about her disability ok


	3. 두

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this was where I stopped writing for this story folks

She’s blind.

The girl is fucking blind.

After that ridiculous spat with her brother, I let go of her, motioning for her to follow along. But she just stared into space dumbly, as if she couldn’t see me. “Are you coming or not?” I snapped at her, then glaring spitefully at her brother. “Is this why you decided to sell her? Because she’s so incompetent?”

“Ku—oppa!” She shouted when her brother stepped toward me. I lifted my chin defiantly, challenging him to take a swipe at me as I looked down at him. “Ku—err, oppa, it’s okay. I’m used to hearing words like this.” And though she did it so subtly, I noticed the way her hands cautiously reached out, finding his chest before sliding up to his cheek.

That was how I figured it out.

“… Ah. Not so much incompetent as she is blind. I see.” I take a deep breath and sigh through my nose, carding my hand through my hair. “Just my luck to have purchased something defective…” Her head turns away from consoling her brother, facing me as an apologetic smile graces her face. With the amount of pain that appears in the creases of her brow, I can tell this isn’t the first time she’s heard things like that.

Pity.

“If… if it’s that much of a n-nuisance… you can keep your money… and my b-brother and I will go back to the, uhm, the auction…”

“No,” both he and I say at the same time, staring each other down before I continue. “I’m on short notice and you’re pretty enough, despite your defect. I can’t go back out there anyway; I’ve stayed for far too long. Come.” I extend my hand out to her and she pauses before stepping toward me, her hand reaching out for mine. Once she’s close enough, I grab hold of her wrist and tug her along.

“Bye, Aki—Kiryung! I’ll be okay, don’t worry! Everything will be fine!”

Glancing over my shoulder, I can see the strained look on her face as he waves at her. He doesn’t move from where he stands.

How cute. These two were close.

She stumbles over herself quite a bit as we walk to the carriage waiting for me, though she always manages to right herself and catch up immediately afterward. Commendable that a girl like her could do so, really. “Can you sense the carriage or do you need help getting in?”

“I’ve been… uhm, blind all my life, sir. I k-know you think less of me because of my, uhm, my defect, but let me assure you… I can hold my own.” Her voice is small, as though she’s afraid her words will damn her, but there’s an underlying sense of confidence in them. Looks like I’ll have to snuff that out.

“Alright then. You have three seconds after I sit down to get in by yourself or I’ll leave without you and revoke my offer.” She nods without a moment of hesitation.

Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting that.

I let go of her to hoist myself onto the carriage, standing for a moment to judge her. Though her eyes are closed, her brow furrows in concentration. How can she tell I haven’t seated myself yet?

As soon as I have fallen back into the seat, she jumps forward, feeling for the sides and hoisting herself up, slipping a little as she searches for footing, finding it and throwing herself inside of the carriage. She falls to the floor, but hey, she’s inside. “Impressive. I didn’t think you could do it.”

“Heh.” She stays where she is, her hand reaching out and sliding along the fabric of the chair. She pulls herself onto it, sitting down across from me as she brushes off her hanbok. Her hair is a bit disheveled from the fall, but she doesn’t seem to care.

I should have known better than to get myself a country bumpkin. I can’t believe I’m actually this desperate.

“I’ve never been in a carriage before,” I hear her murmur, a lilt of excitement in her voice. She smiles slightly as she looks down at her lap, her hands folded in them. A few moments later, she starts to sway to the rhythm of the horse’s hooves. Simple pleasures for a simple mind, I suppose.

“Master, we have arrived,” the carriage driver announces as we slow to a stop. Since she got in by herself just fine, I expect her to get out as well. I step out first, but she continues to sit there, as though she’s waiting for something.

I thought I bought a woman, not a dog… though I suppose they’re one and the same, aren’t they? “So are you coming or not?” Her head turns in my direction and she nods before stepping out, doing so more gracefully than she did getting in. “Follow.” She nods again before trailing after me, keeping up with my brisk pace rather well.

“Ah, the young master. You’re back,” Lu Han greets with a smile, though his expression quickly changes when he sees what’s behind me. “And who is this?”

“Introduce yourself.” I stop to face her and she bumps into my side, making a little “oof!” Realizing what she’s done, a flurry of emotions run across her face after she backs away. “O-Oh my I’m so sorry I didn’t I mean to do that I didn’t think you’d stop so suddenly please forgive me—”

Lu Han and I exchange a look, his more curious than mine. I have to cut her off to get her to stop. “ _ Your name _ , please.”

“Ah, ye-yes, uhm… my name is Kwangree. Cho Kwangree. Thank you for, uhm… for purchasing me from that awful man, sir,” she says with a deep bow.

“… ‘Purchasing?’”

“I’ll explain everything later, alright? Just get her ready for the ceremony.” I can tell Lu Han’s not too happy about this by the way he shoots me a pointed stare. “Look, we’re on a time constraint here, okay? Save me the lecture for another day. Preferably tomorrow. We don’t have time for this.”

He rolls his eyes before walking over to the girl, gently touching her arm. “Come this way, please,” he says, smiling at her. She nods, leaning into his touch as he sweeps her away. As he leads her down the hall, she stumbles into one of the tables and he stifles a laugh up until she starts laughing herself.

His amicability nauseates me.

* * *

“Master Sehun! She’s ready!” I glance away from myself in the mirror to look at the reflection of the door, hearing the rapping signaling his impatience. Let’s see what he could salvage from that mess of a girl.

I let him lead the way to one of the rooms down the hall, stepping back when we reach the door. “Ready?” With a grin, he opens the door slowly, stepping into the room first to stand off to the side. “Well? Thoughts?”

Wow.

“Not bad. I’m surprised.” I look to Lu Han, giving him a satisfied nod before looking back to the blind one. “You look decent.”

“Th-Thanks…” She bows meekly, hands fumbling in front of her as her head moved from side to side nervously. “U-Uhm… sir, if I may… I-I have a question ask you… I asked Mister Lu over there and he, uhm, told me that I should ask you about it… what, err… what exactly am I wearing right now?”

“A wedding dress.”

Her fidgeting stops completely and she’s finally silenced. But just ask I’m about to give Lu Han our next order of business…

“Wait,  _ what _ ? I know that’s what my brother and I agreed to, but you just bought me today! Doesn’t a wedding take some time to plan!? Why is this—”

It takes me two strides to walk over and clamp my hand over her mouth. “For someone that was stammering about two seconds ago, you sure are loud and chatty now,” I hiss, narrowing my eyes at her. “Do you want to go back to that auction?”

She shakes her head no vigorously.

“Will you cooperate with me to stay?”

Her head shakes in a yes.

With a huff, I pull away, stealing a glance at Lu Han’s expression. I’m really going to get a verbal lashing at this rate. I can just hear all his hounding questions now. “Later, Lu Han. Please.”

“You’d better tell me  _ everything _  after this,” he says expectantly, folding his arms over his chest as he narrows his eyes at me.

Sighing tiredly, I regard the girl in front of me. “Kwangree.”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

“First off,” I begin pacing, “don’t call me ‘sir’ while we’re in public. People won’t believe we’re a couple if you refer to me as such. You are to call me Sehun while in the presence of others. Do you think you can do that for me?”

“Yes, si—”

She can’t see, but I am 100% certain that she can feel the sharpness of my glare once I’ve stopped pacing.

“Yes, Sehun. Should I, uhm, add a suffix?”

“No. Just ‘Sehun.’ Second, at the wedding hall, you’ll have Lu Han to lead you down the aisle. I know you’re blind and you probably don’t often open your eyes because you don’t need to, but you’ll need to open them and walk with confidence. Don’t trip and try not to let it show that you can’t see. Once you’re at the altar, I’ll guide you through everything else. Listen to my vows carefully because you’ll have to repeat them.” I pause from pacing again. “Open your eyes now.” She fidgets some more again, her feet shuffling before she lifts her head, her eyes opening slowly.

… Looks like there’s more to it than I thought. Her eyes are clouded, a tint of white lightening her otherwise dark brown eyes. “That’s… that’s fine. Anyhow, moving on, what other languages do you know?” Watching her try at her lip, I raise an eyebrow curiously. “Just… uhm, just Korean, Sehun.”

She’s lying, but I’ll have to press for details later. “Well, you’re in luck. The priest will be speaking it and the majority of our guests feel more comfortable with that language anyway. Our reception is in the evening, so whenever you hear someone come up to us, bow respectfully. If anyone asks you anything, make your lies sound plausible. If you embarrass me, I will not hesitate to send you back to the auctions. Are we clear?”

“Crystal clear, Sehun.”

I stalk out of the room immediately afterward, hearing the patter of Lu Han’s footsteps behind me. “I don’t wanna hear it.”

“Fine. Then I’ll just tell you this: it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, you know.”

“I’ll take my chances. Incompetency is not a factor allowed in this equation if I want the proper end result.”

* * *

“Who is she?”

“I hear she’s from a more rural part of Korea, but her family’s rich.”

“This is rather unprecedented, don’t you think? All of a sudden, I heard rumours of Oh Sehun getting married…”

“I hadn’t even heard any news of him courting anyone!”

“He’s always been very secretive…”

I roll my eyes at the murmurings I hear taking place as everyone waits for the ceremony to start. As long as people don’t know the truth, they can say whatever they wish. If anything, I’m more concerned about how this girl will handle everything. Granted, yes, I threw her into this situation without so much as a warning, but if she knows better, she will do her best.  _ More than her best _ .

She has one shot and she’s not allowed to blow it.

Everyone’s conversations fall to a hush once the organ’s music begins, the double doors at the end of the hall opening slowly. I bite back a smirk once the chattering begins again.

“She’s so ethereal!”

“Where did he find a girl like her?”

“How did we not hear about such a girl sooner?”

“It appears as though the rumours were true…”

Remind me to commend Lu Han on a job well done. Anyway, her eyes are open as a natural smile settles on her face, appearing as though spotting me has lightened her up. Honestly, for a moment, I’m almost deceived into believing she can actually see what’s going on around her. I doubt many people can see how tightly she’s holding onto Lu Han, the anxiety collecting where her hand grips his arm. The procession proceeds as it should, though she hesitates in letting him go once she’s standing right before me. Lu Han nods at me before bowing respectfully, removing himself from the scene.

The priest goes through the usual wedding spiel and I can see how afraid she’s becoming. Her head is turned slightly in the direction he’s speaking and her face grows pale with each requirement he reads. Really now, you heard me tell your brother that I was going to marry you instead. You should have known what you signed yourself up for.

“Do you, Oh Sehun, take Cho Kwangree to be your wife, your partner in life, and your one true love? Do you promise to cherish her friendship and love her today, tomorrow, and forever? Do you promise to trust and honor her, laugh with her, and cry with her? Do you promise you will be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” I take her hand in mine, and it’s slight, but she tenses under my touch. If you blow this now, Kwangree, you will have some serious repercussions to pay.

“Do you, Cho Kwangree, take Oh Sehun to be your husband, your partner in life, and your one true love? Do you promise to cherish his friendship and love him today, tomorrow, and forever? Do you promise to trust and honor him, laugh with him, and cry with him? Do you promise you will be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”

“U-Uh… I-I, uh…”

I steal a cursory glance at the guests that start to murmur amongst themselves once again. I can’t quite make out what they’re saying, but there’s no doubt in my mind that it can’t be good. I squeeze her hand tight to remind her of her circumstances.

“I do.”

Working my jaw, I lift her left hand, pulling her ring out of my pocket and sliding it onto her ring finger. “I, Sehun, take thee, Kwangree, to be my wedded wife, to have and hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poor, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”

Once the ring is on her hand, I hold her hand flat in mine, breathing a bit easier once she’s caught on. “I, Kwangree, take thee, Sehun, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poor, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”

“And with this ring, these two shall be henceforth wedded. Should anyone have any objections, speak now or forever hold your peace.” Really, I dare anyone to speak out against me. “You may now kiss the bride.”

“W-Wha—” That’s enough nearly blowing our cover for one day… or so I thought.

A thick silence follows the hasty slap to the cheek she gives me.

“O-Oh my god, Se-Sehun, I was just—I didn’t—”

“I had forgotten to tell her that this wouldn’t be a traditional marriage. She’s just a little startled and overwhelmed, that’s all.” I chuckle and the laughter of the crowd drowns out my next few words to her. “I’ll deal with you properly later.”

I nearly miss her fearful whimper, though she is quick to fix her expression as I hook her arm to mine and whisk her away.

Forever is a long time to live with someone. And if I’m lucky, her forever won’t last very long.

* * *

“Obeoji! I’m married now!”

He jumps as I burst into the room and I almost forget that his sense of hearing and his sense of touch is all he has to rely on now. But even still, I’m more than certain he can hear the smile in my voice. “Sehun, is that you?” He sits up slowly, motioning for me to come closer. I do so, the tug at my sleeve reminding me that I had brought evidence with me. Is it really that hard for you to keep up?   
I pull her along with me to his bedside, grasping his hand. “I did what you asked of me. You’ll keep your end of the deal, right?” I mean, you said whichever one of is wedded first—”

“Calm down, Sehun. Bring her here. I have to be sure this isn’t one of your little ploys again.” Oh come now, I’m not  _ always _  up to mischief. Shaking my head, I bring her forward, placing my father’s hand in hers.

“Good afternoon,” she murmurs with a polite bow. She is unmoving as his hands trace hers, detailing the ring on her left hand. “What is your name, dear?”

“Cho Kwangree.”

He nods, affirming who knows what? Quite honestly, I’ve figured he’s so far gone at this point that it’s just better if I don’t question it. But sometimes, he makes it known that he’s much keener than I give him credit for.

“You’re blind, aren’t you?” I am stunned into silence, fearing what her response might be. I’m really starting to have second thoughts about bringing her along.

“I am, sir. Just as you are.”

“No… no… I’ve only been blind since my illness began. You’ve been blind all your life, haven’t you?”

I can tell that even she’s shocked by how much he’s discovered without her having said more than fifteen words in the span of five minutes. “Y-Yes, sir.”

He hums in thought, dropping one hand so that his left holds onto her right. “Your vision has been obscured since birth, but you have seen more of the world than any of us could ever hope to see.” I can’t make any sense of this old man’s words, but apparently she can; the faintest of smiles appear on her face, but I can see the pain she tried to hide. “Mm… I can tell that you are fully resolute in your decision and you understand what you have agreed to. Therefore, I will entrust you with my son. Please watch over him carefully.”

Please, father, if anything, it will be  _ me _  watching over  _ her _ . You already figured out that she’s blind. Why would you still go and say something so unintelligible?

“Sehun.” I look up at him, relived that he’s finished with his nonsensical blathering. “As agreed, you will be the one to inherit my company. I trust that you will at least let Zitao keep his shares and his position, and that you will stay humble about your victory.”

Fat chance. “Of course, obeoji. Thank you.”

“Yes. Now, I’d like to speak to Miss Kwangree for a moment. Please step out of the room and wait for her outside. We’ll only be a few minutes.”

The girl is just as surprised as I am, but I’m not about to contest anything; she’s much too modest and knowledgeable about her situation to even dare to make a sound. “As you wish…” I eye the both of them carefully before shaking my head, escorting myself out of the room.

What in the world could he be saying to her that he can’t say in front of me? What kind of game are you playing at, old man? You know I was never able to beat you at these things. Even when I think I have the upper hand, especially with your condition now, you still manage to prove me wrong. And frankly, I don’t think I like this particular one very much.

I stand against the wall for about ten minutes, unable to hear even a murmur, making me question whether they’re even having a conversation in there. She opens the door, standing in the doorway and staying still for a few seconds before suddenly turning her head in my direction. “I apologize for the wait, Seh—si—” Her brow creased in confusion and she tried at her lip. “Ah… do I still call you Sehun when we’re alone?”

“No. Only in public.”

“Y-Yes, sir. I-If you would, uhm, like to leave now… I apologize f-for the, uh, extended visit.” She bows at me and I roll my eyes, snapping my fingers before walking back to my carriage. As usual, she shuffles after me, carefully keeping herself a few steps behind.

“How did you know where I was standing?” As far as I was concerned, I hadn’t made a sound.

“I, uhm… I heard your breathing, sir. You… your breathing was a bit unsteady, as-as though you were annoyed…” I raise an eyebrow as I glance back at her curiously; saying that I wasn’t impressed would be a lie. I wouldn’t have though she could be so observant in other ways without her sight.

“We’re heading back. The reception is in two hours, so we have to travel fast. Lu Han will help you get changed into something less restraining and more suitable for the event.”

“Ah, Mister Lu!”

Skeptically, I stop and look at her again, though it’s more in confusion this time than it is curiosity. Realizing that I’ve stopped, she slows to one as well just a few metres before me, her hands clasped over her mouth and her eyes wide open in surprise. “I-I apologize for m-my outburst, sir… Mister Lu is just very, uh, k-kind, a-and, uh—”

“I don’t need some petty excuse. I don’t actually care.”

“O-Of course, sir.”

Now I’m  _ really _  having second thoughts about all this. “Whatever. Anyway, hurry up. We’ve only got two hours.”

My legs stride faster, and for some reason, I can’t slow them down.

* * *

“Sehun… I thought you, uhm… you said this dress… would be less restrictive…”

“Would you rather I tear it off of you right here then?” Instantly, her face flushes red and her head shakes vigorously. “N-No! Please, no.”

That’s what I thought.

I huff through my nose to end that conversation, doing so just in time to put on a smile for the next guest that approaches us. “Ah, congratulations, you two! You certainly surprised us, Oh. Who would have thought you’d be the first of the two to find a girl suitable enough for you?” I watch as she eyes the girl standing to my left. “It’s definitely easy to see why you kept her hidden away for this long… I’m jealous.”

On cue, she bows and smiles up at the woman. “Ah, thank you. I’m rather… surprised myself.” Her untrained eyes lower themselves as her head tilts downward. She’s been doing that the entire time. “I’m… flattered.”

The woman nods before departing, leaving us to ourselves again as we walk around. “You’re doing well, but you really need to work on your accent. Why is it so heavy? And you keep taking pauses, as if you’re trying to remember how to say something. Aren’t you a native?”

“E-Err… well…”

I throw my arm out to stop her, my lips pressing into a thin line as we stop before our next guest. "Good evening, Zitao.”

“What, no ‘hyung?’”

“Are we forgetting who owns the company now?”

“Social status doesn’t change seniority when it comes to age.”

We stare each other down for quite a while before I decide to break it, bringing her forward. She stiffens, looking shocked and lost before becoming aware of the fact that there was someone standing in front of her. “O-Oh! Hello, Mister, uhm… Zitao, was it?”

“Yes. Huang Zitao. But you can just call me Tao, if you’d like.” If she could actually see that disgustingly cheesy wink, I’m sure she’d be gagging internally just as I am.

“Zitao… you’re the one his father was talking about.” Yes… would you like to point out anything else painfully obvious while you’re at it?

“Ah, so you’ve met our father then.” He laughs at her puzzled expression. “Looks like Sehun’s being his usual self, withholding information from everyone… even his own wife. Really, Sehuna, you could do better.” He tsks, smirking my way before looking back down at her. “Sehun and I were taken in at a young age by the same man as we both lost our parents around the same time. He’s more like a grandfather than anything, but seeing as he didn’t have any kids of his own and he raised us from when we were kids, we just came to regard him as our father.” Just tell her our entire life story while you’re at it, Tao.

“So you two are… ah, essentially brothers…”

“Yep. So expect to see me around more often.” With a chuckle, he takes her hand in his, bowing as he kisses the top of it. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Kwangree.” She nods in return, her brow furrowing soon after he leaves. “… That was… that was very odd,” she murmurs, not realizing that I could hear her.

“What?”

“Oh! Uh, n-nothing! I was just… sometimes I just, uhm, mutter to myself…”

“What was odd, Kwangree?”

“W-well… well it’s just that… the entire time he was kissing my hand, he was looking… at you. And I’m not sure why, but it was, uhm, almost as though there was hurt in his eyes.”

And here I thought she’d spouted enough nonsense for one day. “Yes… trust in the blind girl’s observations.”

I could feel her flinch next to me, a soft, strained chuckle coming from her lips. “Y-Yeah… it was stupid anyway… forgive my nonsense…”

Ah, now she’s learning.

* * *

As soon as I’ve thrown her onto the bed, I pin her down, straddling her waist and gathering her wrists in one hand, holding them above her head. The more she struggles, the tighter my hold on her becomes.

Just as I’ve got one hand snaking under her nightgown and my teeth graze her neck, I hear a very loud, very clear, “Wait! Wait.” Annoyed, I sit up, though I don’t let go of her. “What?”

“I-I won’t stop you, b-but… but let me just, uhm, let me just say this: I know that I-I’m nothing but a tool for you… and that I’m really j-just here for show… what you’re going to do to me is, uhm, usually… usually saved to be shared between two p-people that… that love and care for each other, but that is… not what we are. I didn’t think this sort of, uh, thing would happen so soon, but I did agree to do… to do whatever you wanted. I just wish I had time to… what is it… brace myself, is all. You purchased me and that, uhm, technically m-means that you can… do as you like. A-And you can! I just… I just wanted to say that first… before you, uh… before you had your way with me. That’s all, sir.”

We sit in silence for a few moments as I just stare down at her. Testing something, I lean in to press my lips to her neck, but before I can even touch the skin there, I hear her take a deep breath and hold it, her body tensing under me while her eyes are shut tight.

Damn it all.

“Ugh, never mind.” I roll off of her and move to one side of the four-poster bed, my back facing her. “S-Sir?”

“I changed my mind. Could you not tell or are you really that clueless?”

“O-Oh… okay. D-Do you maybe, uh… do you want me to leave—?”

“We’re married. Married people share a bed. This is a very basic concept.” I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Just stay on that side, if you know what’s good for you.”

“Yes, sir.”

I shake my head, sighing heavily. To think that this stupid girl could talk me out of doing something I wanted to do, knowing full well I didn’t have to listen to her. Why the hell did I even stop to hear what she had to say in the first place? Thinking about this was making me more livid by the second.

Just as I was nodding off, I heard a faint voice to my right, keeping me awake just a little bit longer. Even after all I put her through today, she still had the audacity to say, “Good night, Oh Sehun. I hope you sleep well tonight.”

Such sincerity won’t last long here. I know it won’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol guess who doesn't care about the historical accuracy of those vows
> 
> \- obeoji - really formal way of saying "dad"

**Author's Note:**

> sooooooooo basically the way this was gonna play out was... well, just read Hadashi de Bara wo Fume and you'd get the general idea lmao  
> one of the major differences I would have implemented however was that Tao would have been trying to get rid of Hikari because he was after Sehun; for a time Sehun would think that Tao was trying to steal his wife away but it was more like he was trying to get her kidnapped/taken away/killed lmao  
> this will make more sense if you just read the manga or a summary of it at least I promise lmao  
> as with all of the discontinued works if you'd like to finish where I left off just lemme know and credit me
> 
> oh also Hikari and Sehun learn to get along/fall in love etc etc and also he finds the comb she sold as an anniversary gift  
> eventually she reconnects with her family but her parents are exploitative blah blah blah... her brother is the only good one  
> also in order to find the comb she describes it to Sehun but has to go to Akira and he draws it and they find he's a gr8 artist and stuff
> 
>  
> 
> [personal twitter](http://www.twitter.com/lesimperatrices)  
> 


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